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(No Model.)

H. L.. CURRIER.

BOILER TUBE CLEANER. l, N0. 368,655. Patented Aug. 23, 1887.

my. l 5 /n N- PETERS. Phoevuuwsmphf, wmingzon. n. c.

lJNiTED STATES PATENT @Erica .l HERBERT L. CURRIER, OF LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK B. GRAVES, OE SAME PLACE.

llsiolLERJueE CLEANER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,655, dated August23, 18.8'7.

(No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, HERBERT L. CUREIEE, of Lynn, in the county of Essex,State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Boiler-Tube Cleaners,-

of which the following is a description suffi` ciently full, clear, andexact to enable any per` son skilled in the art or science to which saidinvention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device in position for use,the tube and steam pipe being shown as broken away and a portion of theboiler-head represented in section; Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinalsection of the same; Fig. 3, a like view showing a modification of myimprovement, and Fig. 4. a vertial transverse section taken on the lineo." x in Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent gures of the drawings.

My invention relates to means for removing the scale and other depositsfrom either the inner or outer side of boiler-tubes; and it consists ina novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more fullyset forth and claimed, the object being to produce a more effectivedevice for this purpose than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understoodby all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

AIn the drawings, A represents the nozzle, considered as a whole; B, thesand tank or holder, and C the boiler-tube.

The nozzle consists of a metallic pipe, d, screw-threaded at its outerend, as shown at m, to receive the steam-pipe D, and provided with aninsulating-covering,y,preferably com` posed of wood, by means of whichit can be readily handled when heated. The forward end of the pipe D isexpanded to form the bulb or chamber a, which is open at the outer endand provided at its top with an upwardlyprojecting funnelshaped openingor hopper, E, by means of which sand is introduced into the bulb.

The bulb zis divided into two annular chambers, 7L t', by ahorizontallyarranged tube, g, which is slightly larger in diameter thanthe pipe d, and secured at its inner end to the sides of said bulb, itsouter end being open and terminating at the mouth of the nozzle.

A metallic guide, J, in the shape of a truncated cone, is arrangedhorizontally within the tube g, being centrally secured at its smaller6o end to the walls of the bulb z, directly opposite the pipe d, bymeans of braces Z, (see Fig. v 4,) in such a manner that the base of thecone is in the same vertical plane as the mouth II of the'nozzle. Thepurpose of the guide J is 65 to deflect and direct the steam or airpassing through the pipe d against the inner surface of the tube C, ashereinafter more specifically set forth. i

The sand tank or holder B c'onsists of a porta- 7o ble can, preferablymade of tin, and provided with ahinged bottom or trap,7c,having aspringcatch, p, for fastening the bottom to the bodyV of the can, and with aslide, b, for regulating the flow of the sand. I do not, however,confine myself to the use of the sand-holder herein shown, asareceptacle of any suitable description from which sand can be pouredinto the opening E may be used.

I preferably form the nozzle A with its hop- 8o per E, bulb z, partitiony, guide J, braces Z, and pipe cl integral or cast in one piece, but donot confine myself to so doing, as the parts named may be madeseparately and united by any suitable means.

In the use of my improvement the nozzle is attached to a steam-pipe, D,which connects with any suitable apparatus for supplying and forcingsteam into t e tube d. The operator then grasps the handle y and holdsthe mouth 9o H of the nozzle rmly against the opening or mouth of theboiler-tube C.

Steam being admitted into the pipe D, it passes through the pipe d intothe chamber z, and is directed by the guide J outwardly against theinner surface ofthe boiler-tube C. The steam passing the opening o ofthe chamber h tends to create a vacuum in said chamber, thereby causinga strong draft downwardly through the hopper E when the nozzle is ap-10o plied to the end of the boiler-tube C. Coarse sand is then pouredinto the hopper from the holder B, or by any other suitable means, and

. is at once carried by the draft into the chamberh and out through theopening o, where it is caught by the annular jet of steam issuing fromthe chamber z and thrown against the walls of the boiler-tube C withgreat force, the jet and sand forming a sand-blast, which removes thescale collected on the interior walls of said tube and carries itforward u'ntil it falls out at the other end of the tube.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the outer wall of the nozzle at themouth His extended beyond the end of the tube g and guide J and inclinedslightly inward, as shown at t, the purpose of said extension being toenable the blast to be used for removing the scale on the outer surfaceof boiler-tubes.`

It will be readily understood that if the extension t were not added tothe mouth of the nozzle the steam in passing from the chamber z' wouldfail to create as stronga draft in the chamber h, and the blast becomepartially inoperative for that reason, the extension taking l[he placeto a certain extent of the tube C. I do not confine myself to the use ofsteam for creating the sand-blast, as air forced with sufficient powerthrough the nozzle will serve the purpose as well.

Having thus explained my invention, what I Claim is- 1. The improvednozzle herein described,

the same consisting of the pipe having an insulating-covering, y, saidtube being provided withy the bulb z, having the tubular partition g,cone-shaped guide J, and hopper E, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the bulb z, provided with ahopper, E, for admitting sand thereto, and interiorly divided into thechambers 71, t' by a horizontallyarranged tubular partition, g, incombination with the cone-shaped guide J, horizontally disposed withinthe chamberz' and secured at its smaller end to the walls of said bulb,the tube d opening into said bulb, and being screwthreaded at its outerend to receive a steam or air pipe, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a device for cleaning boiler-tubes, the combination of thefollowing instrumentalities, toy wit: a tubular body, a bulb secured tosaid body and divided into two chambers by a horizontally-arrangedtubular partition, a hopper opening into the outer chamber in said bulbforadmitting sand,and a cone-shaped deflecting-guide horizontallydisposed within the inner chamber and secured at its smaller end to thewalls of said bulb, substantially as set forth.

HERBERT L. CURRIER. Witnesses:

O. M. SHAW, E. L. SAWYER.

